Social Welfare Minister Syed Mohsin Ali who drew flak for smoking on the stage of a programme at the BGB Public School and College in Sylhet on Monday apologised on Tuesday for his fault.
The minister in a status on his Facebook account admitted his guilt and requested for forgiveness considering his self-realisation.
“I’m deeply ashamed of my picture published in different mass media. I don’t deny that I’m a chain smoker, but it was not appropriate for me to smoke in public in such a manner,” the minister’s status reads that posted around 10.35am.
Claiming that he did it unconsciously, Mohsin Ali sincerely said sorry for the incident assuring that he would never repeat it. “Considering my self-realisation, I do hope you (people) will forgive me with your own generosity”, he stated in the status.
Contacted, the ministers confirmed UNB about his facebook status and said sorry for his unbecoming behaviour. “I did it out of my bad habit, I shouldn’t have done this, I’m sorry.”
Mohsin Ali, MP from Moulvibazar-3, was present as the chief guest at a reception accorded by Sylhet Border Guard Public School and College to the students who obtained the highest grade GPA-5 in the last year’s Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Primary School Certificate (PSC) examinations.
Minutes before his address, the minister openly lit a cigarette sitting in his chair on the stage of the programme, making the students and their guardians embarrassed as smoking in public places is a punishable offence.
As the minister’s pictures, puffing cigarette before the children published in the different online portals, social media and newspapers, triggered widespread resentment and criticisms.
